We all know the discussion of birth control is an attempt by the liberals to turn the discussion away from the issues that will show exactly how they are taking America down the wrong path. It’s not a big secret that President Obama would rather the focus of the campaign be on social, rather than economic issues. In the past few weeks, that’s what they have been trying to do. On the other hand, conservatives have been trying to steer the conversation back to the record of the current resident of the White House. No big surprise there.
One of my regular stops among the many blogs I read is OneMom. Her’s was one of the first blogs I discovered when trying to start the blog that eventually became Political Realities. She has written a post about Birth Control and Women’s Health that completely destroys the argument being used by the left to rave about the issue of birth control. I’ll give you a hint; birth control really has very little to do with women’s health. I want to share a couple of short paragraphs with my readers and I encourage you to visit OneMom and read the entire post.
One more time, let me re-state the main premise of this blog post: if the left, right, moderates really want to fight for women’s health, then they better fight for women getting enough physical exercise and better nutrition. Obesity is what is killing this country. Why aren’t there women fighting to have health insurance companies pay for gym memberships?
All of this is personal responsibility – birth control to exercise and nutrition. And so we’re clear, having an abortion to kill an unwanted child is not being a responsible person.
There is really nothing else I can add to OneMom’s argument. She has done a fine job of pointing out the fallacies of the premise the liberals are using to argue for free birth control for all women.
It’s not even about birth control. It is about natural rights, and how progressives have distorted the concept. Our nation was founded upon negative rights, the right to be left alone with your life, liberty and property to pursue your own personal happiness, so long as you don’t violate the rights of others.
Progressives march in demanding positive rights, which are false rights because they stake a claim on the property of others. The perform this inversion and theft by appealing to our emotions. Game over.
Sorry if I’m off subject, but this is significant. Senator Coburn, the fiscal hawk conservative from no other than Oklahoma, endorses Mitt Romney.
LD, Do you know of anybody that values the opinion of Senator Coburn more than I do? If you do, they are welcome to Senator Coburn’s and John Galt’s side. We will forget past doubts!
Yes, I am aware of Coburn’s endorsement of Mitt Romney. As you do, I value Dr. Coburn’s opinion, but I am at a loss to understand this.
The Fluke issue was simply about breaking the back of religious institutions by forcing them to adopt secular values in their healthcare coverage. Rush took the bait and the press ran with it.
Nobody should have to be told don’t get fat.
John: I can’t believe Coburn is backing Romney! Ugh.
Larry: I agree with you and OneMom. This is about responsibility. I find it interesting how many people I run into who think they have no choices in life. I would think that kind of thinking would lead them to think they have no responsibility either because they didn’t make choices so things that happen aren’t their fault.
I thought Rush’s discussion later about where are the men in this Fluke situation was interesting. I mean, if you’re having soooo much sex you can afford contraceptives then what about the men your having sex with? Why aren’t they contributing?
I also find the ‘women’s health’ fallacy irritating. As a feminist (not the crazy kind – just that women and men both have equal value) I find this idea that abortion, contraception, women’s health irritating because it is as if women are too stupid to take care of themselves. God forbid we do something and have to figure out how we want to deal with it.
There is also this underlying message that women aren’t women if they choose a different route such as adoption, or having a man in their lives, etc. I was watching Lipstick Jungle the other day and the message that any ‘real’ woman never “needs” a man was so prevalent in the show it was disturbing.
This liberal, feministic message is moving away from what the original message of feminism was. To be allowed to be women and have access to all that men have: voting, working, pay, etc. Now its as if the message has gotten so twisted, women who are responsible and accountable in their lives are seen as something other that a ‘real’ woman.
Look at Sarah Palin. Even if you don’t agree with her, she is who she is and she takes responsibility for her life and her choices. The left hate her specifically for that reason.
Anyway, I have waxed philosophical. Sorry. Great post by both of you!
John: I can’t believe Coburn is backing Romney! Ugh.
I don’t know abut folks in Oklahoma, but here in Ohio conservatives are getting ready to blot the GOP. Why? The fact that Mitt Romney is a viable Republican candidate for the Republican nomination! The good news is I’m picking off Republicans by the dozens and bringing them to Gary Johnson’s camp. Romney makes it easy.
I can’t believe Coburn is backing Romney either. Really, it makes no sense at all.
You have waxed both philosophical and profound. It’s interesting that you describe yourself as a feminist, yet you have such different views than most in that category. I think it may be because you understand what that term should really stand for.
I think speaking about birth control and abortion in the same sentence is a distortion. There are huge numbers of women and conservatives who support methods of birth control but harshly condemn abortion. They are not two sides of the same coin. And redirecting the argument away from birth control toward diet and exercise, and asking insurers to pay health club membership, is completely besides the point. Nobody is saying those aren’t laudable goals and are more important to women’s health than birth control (in fact, wasn’t preventive treatment and personal health an important element of the Obama health plan?); but that in no way detracts from birth control as an important part of womens health that should be acknowledged and addressed.
Mike: you’re right. Preventing a pregnancy and ending one prematurely are by nature different issues. They may fall into the same class of creature (reproductive issues), but are not the same.
I don’t really think OneMom was equating birth control with abortion. At least, I didn’t get that feeling. What she is saying is that killing an unborn child, just because the women doesn’t want it, is not the responsible thing to do.
I do think she raises a very valid point about birth control and women’s health. Yes, birth control/hormonal treatment is used to help some women with health problems, but the vast majority of the women who are using birth control are doing it to prevent pregnancy. I have nothing against them doing so. However, OneMom’s point is this. The Democrats are twisting this issue around and making it sound like women are going to have major health problems if they don’t have access to birth control, free of charge. That simply is not true.
Stated very well. Thanks Larry.
There isn’t a single Republican who has proposed banning contraception. This is a manufactured issue created by the Democrats for two reasons. First, they’re deflecting attention away from gas prices and the economy. In doing this they’re also trying to win back the support of women, who Obama has struggled to keep in his camp lately.
Their second purpose is to destroy the free church in America. If the government can order churches to fund contraception in their health plans despite their moral and religious objections than there is no power over the church which the government does not have. It begins with contraception then it moves to abortion. Next thing you know we’ve turned into Canada where pastors are being thrown in jail for preaching what scripture says concerning homosexual acts.
Unfortunately maintaining free churches is so vitally important that we cannot ignore this issue.
Exactly, Steven. Republicans are not trying to ban contraception, but you couldn’t tell that from the way the Democrats are carrying on. They have turned the conversation completely away from the issues we should be discussing.
As for their attempts to destroy the free church in America, sadly, I believe you are right.
There are several issues here, and I think there’s a lot of conflation going on. There’s the mandate and personal responsibility issues, to be sure. But the idea that contraception isn’t a health issue is incorrect, in my opinion. Not only that, it’s a women’s and a men’s health issue. Think of a married couple that either isn’t ready for, or doesn’t want to start a family.
The issue I have is how the Democrats are framing the debate. They are intentionally making it sound like the birth control issue is all about women’s health. That just is not true. Does it have something to do with the health of a woman? Yes, it does, but the main reason birth control is prescribed is to prevent pregnancy. Again, there is nothing wrong with that, but we should at least have an honest debate. I haven’t seen that from the Democrats, so far.
I am appalled that this is the distraction of the now, I’m even more appalled that it has worked so well.
Unfortunately, you are right. President Obama has done a masterful job of playing this for all it’s worth.
~ as far as the church/state aspect goes; sure the progs and statists are pushing for another win; but the
catholic church delegated tithing rights to socialism long ago.
~ is the whining ‘left’ co-opting women’s rights sympathizers to ‘legally’ pick my pocket again? por supuesto.
what bothers me most about the whole fiasco is the personal call to ms. fluke.
no ‘personal call’ of support or condolence was made to the family of brian terry.
priorities mr. obama? …b